Saunderson(1) mentions his having attempted to do it, but that he found he was aiming at an impossibility; that, to be sure, a difference in the surface makes the difference of colours; but that difference is so fine, that it is not sensible to the touch. The General mentioned jugglers and fraudulent gamesters, who could know cards by the touch. Dr. Johnson said, "The cards used by such persons must be less polished than ours commonly are.”

We talked of sounds. The General said, there was no beauty in a simple sound, but only in an harmonious composition of sounds. I presumed to differ from this opinion, and mentioned the soft and sweet sound of a fine woman's voice. JOHNSON. "No, Sir, if a serpent or a toad uttered it, you would think it ugly." BOSWELl. "So you would

think, Sir, were a beautiful tune to be uttered by one of those animals." JOHNSON. "No, Sir, it would be admired. We have seen fine fiddlers whom we liked as little as toads" (laughing).

Talking on the subject of taste in the arts, he said, that difference of taste was, in truth, difference of skill. BOSWELL. "But, Sir, is there not a quality called taste, which consists merely in perception or in liking? for instance, we find people differ much as to what is the best style of English composition. Some think Swift's the best; others prefer a fuller and grander way of writing." JOHNSON. "Sir, you must first define what you mean by style, before you

(1) [Nicholas Saunderson, Professor of Mathematics in the University of Cambridge, died April 19. 1739. He had lost his sight by the small-pox when two years old.]

can judge who has a good taste in style, and who has a bad. The two classes of persons whom you have mentioned, don't suffer as to good and bad. They both agree that Swift has a good neat style; but one loves a neat style, another loves a style of more splendour. In like manner, one loves a plain coat, another loves a laced coat; but neither will deny that each is good in its kind.” (')

While I remained in London this spring, I was with him at several other times, both by himself and in company. I dined with him one day at the Crown and Anchor tavern, in the Strand, with Lord Elibank, Mr. Langton, and Dr. Vansittart, of Oxford. (2) Without specifying each particular day, I have preserved the following memorable things.

(1) The following meditations, made about this period, are very interesting sketches of his feelings:

"April 26. I was some way hindered from continuing this contemplation in the usual manner, and therefore try, at the distance of a week, to review the last [Easter] Sunday.

"I went to church early, having first, I think, used my prayer. When I was there, I had very little perturbation of mind. During the usual time of meditation, I considered the Christian duties under the three principles of soberness, righteousness, and godliness; and purposed to forward godliness by the annual perusal of the Bible; righteousness by settling something for charity, and soberness by early hours. I commended as usual, with preface of permission, and, I think, mentioned Bathurst. I came home, and found Paoli and Boswell waiting for me. What devotions I used after my return home, I do not distinctly remember. I went to prayers in the evening; and, I think, entered late.

"On Good Friday, I paid Peyton without requiring work. "It is a comfort to me, that, at last, in my sixty-third year, I have attained to know, even thus hastily, confusedly, and imperfectly, what my Bible contains.

"Having missed church in the morning (April 26.), I went this evening, and afterwards sat with Southwell."-(Pr. and Med. pp. 115. 117, 118.)—C.

(2) Robert Vansittart, LL. D., Professor of Civil Law at Oxford. He was a senior fellow of All Souls; where, after he had given up the profession in London, he chiefly resided in a set of rooms, formerly the old library, which he had fitted up in the Gothic style, where he died about 1794. He was the elder brother of Mr. Henry Vansittart, Governor of Bengal, father of Lord Bexley. — C.

I regretted the reflection, in his preface to Shakspeare, against Garrick, to whom we cannot but apply the following passage:— "I collated such copies as I could procure, and wished for more, but have not found the collectors of these rarities very communicative." I told him, that Garrick had complained to me of it, and had vindicated himself by assuring me, that Johnson was made welcome to the full use of his collection, and that he left the key of it with a servant, with orders to have a fire and every convenience for him. I found Johnson's notion was, that Garrick wanted to be courted for them, and that, on the contrary, Garrick should have courted him, and sent him the plays of his own accord. But, indeed, considering the slovenly and careless manner in which books were treated by Johnson, it could not be expected that scarce and valuable editions should have been lent to him.

A gentlemen having, to some of the usual arguments for drinking, added this:— "You know, Sir, drinking drives away care, and makes us forget whatever is disagreeable. Would not you allow a man to drink for that reason?" JOHNSON. "Yes, Sir, if he sat next you."

I expressed a liking for Mr. Francis Osborne's (1) works, and asked him what he thought of that

(1) Of the family of the Osbornes, of Chicksands, in Bedfordshire. The work by which he is now best known is, his "Historical Memoirs of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and King James," written in a very acrimonious spirit. He had attached himself to the Pembroke family; and, like Earl Philip (whom Walpole designates by the too gentle appellation of memorable simpleton), joined the Parliamentarians. He died in 1659.-C.

writer. He answered, "A conceited fellow. Were a man to write so now, the boys would throw stones at him." He, however, did not alter my opinion of a favourite author, to whom I was first directed by his being quoted in "The Spectator (1)," and in whom I have found much shrewd and lively sense, expressed, indeed, in a style somewhat quaint; which, however, I do not dislike. His book has an air of originality. We figure to ourselves an ancient gentleman talking to us.

When one of his friends endeavoured to maintain that a country gentleman might contrive to pass his life very agreeably, "Sir," said he, " you cannot give me an instance of any man who is permitted to lay out his own time, contriving not to have tedious hours." This observation, however, is equally applicable to gentlemen who live in cities (2), and are of no profession.

He said, "There is no permanent national character: it varies according to circumstances. Alexander the Great swept India (3); now the Turks sweep Greece."

(1) [No. 150. "Mr. Osborne advises his son to appear, in his habit, rather above than below his fortune; and tells him that he will find a handsome suit of clothes always procures some additional respect."]

All

(2) Not quite: men who live in cities have theatres, clubs, and all the variety of public and private society within reach.-C. (3) The force of this illustration is not very obvious. India, so far as regards the natives, is perhaps now quite as liable to be swept by an invader as it was three thousand years ago. authorities seem to be agreed that the people of India and China have changed wonderfully little in the lapse of time.-C. [Dr. Johnson perhaps was only alluding to the fact, that Greece, which formerly sent forth the conquerors of Asia, had sunk to be the province of an Asiatic empire. —J. G. L.]

A learned gentleman, who, in the course of conversation, wished to inform us of this simple fact, that the counsel upon the circuit of Shrewsbury were much bitten by fleas, took, I suppose, seven or eight minutes in relating it circumstantially. He in a plenitude of phrase told us, that large bales of woollen cloth were lodged in the town-hall; that by reason of this, fleas nestled there in prodigious numbers; that the lodgings of the counsel were near the town-hall; and that those little animals moved from place to place with wonderful agility. Johnson sat in great impatience till the gentleman had finished his tedious narrative, and then burst out (playfully however), "It is a pity, Sir, that you have not seen a lion; for a flea has taken you such a time, that a lion must have served you a twelvemonth." (1)

He would not allow Scotland to derive any credit from Lord Mansfield; for he was educated in England. "Much," said he, 66 may be made of a Scotchman, if he be caught young."

Talking of a modern historian and a modern moralist, he said, "There is more thought in the moralist than in the historian. There is but a shallow stream of thought in history." BOSWELL.

(1) Mrs. Piozzi, to whom I told this anecdote, has related it as if the gentleman had given "the natural history of the mouse.' Anecdotes, p. 191.- B.-The "learned gentleman" was certainly Dr. Vansittart, as is proved by two passages in the correspondence between Mrs. Thrale and Dr. Johnson, July and August, 1773. She writes to the Doctor in Scotland, "I have seen the man that saw the mouse," &c. Johnson replies, "Poor V&c.; he is a good man, and, when his mind is composed, a man of parts.".

C.